The mimicry.
The Trinamool M.P. Kalyan Banerjee pulled an already battered image of Bengal further by a few notches by mimicking the Vice President of India, who is also the speaker of the Rajya Sabha. It was one of the most obnoxious acts by any MPs. who are expected to uphold and act as symbols of dignity and respect.
Like adding fuel to the fire, INC scion Rahul Gandhi was recording the despicable act on his cellphone, apparently to take on the Trinamool party if and when their fragile political collaboration fails and falls to pieces, later calling the act ‘unharmful’. There were MPs swarming and cheering as if at some late-night lewd dance party that many leaders in rural India host to keep their followers enthralled.
It was not a surprise that the AITC supremo and a former probable PM face chose to stand with the recalcitrant M.P. and declare that the mimicking was okay and no offence was meant. She must not forget her quick-reflex actions of jailing whoever mimicked her, as a young girl who dared a caricature of the CM and a professor who made a cartoon. The Bengal CM was also quick to support another prominent M.P. after her tiff with the ethics panel. The expulsion is under the scrutiny of the Supreme Court.
The sad reflection of mimicking the Vice President comes on the heels of a Union Minister criticizing the Bengal CM for dancing during the KIFF function or for dancing with the tea workers. I found nothing wrong with both events and stand by Didi. Someone must whisper in Mamata’s ears that silence is golden in incidences like mimicking or (un)ethical MPs.
Back to more important issues like the PM face of the I.N.D.I. alliance, it was not unmissable that Didi proposed Mallikarjun Kharge of INC for the post. It is strange as it is close to her declaration just a few days before in a public meeting that she will be the face to lead her coalition. What changed in a matter of 3–4 days to change her stand and meekly surrender her claim to the coveted PM post? One, the results seem to be clearly written on the wall: the opposition finds a Modi return with a huge majority and none would like to embarrass themselves as the ‘leader who lost.’
Stalin, it seems, has made his position strong by pitching for the INC, which seems to have settled the matter for an aspiring Didi. The problems in her state are mounting, with more leaders being summoned and arrested, which is an impediment to her dreams. Her party spokesperson also made a significant statement that Mamata will be the CM of Bengal until 2036 and then Abhishek will take over, which gave a clear indication that she is forsaking any claims for a national role.
Kharge is politically weak, is a proxy of the Gandhi family and can be no threat to the Modi-led BJP. There is already dissent, like from an over-ambitious Nitish’s JDU, who will revolt if he wins, demanding his pound of flesh.
Politics is, after all, a game of shylocks.
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix
